Esmin Baker-Hutchinson - Elgin Taylor

It has been accepted world-wide that not all students have the ability to progress at the same rate, and that due to a number of factors, some of them are slow or late developers.

This aptly describes the situation which faces students who have failed to gain mastery after four sittings of the Grade Four Literary Test. However, in the scheme of things these unfortunate children are not discarded but are given another chance of getting to high schools through the Alternative Secondary Transition Education Programme (ASTEP). This is a special kind of intervention which seeks to bring students to the level of mastery after two years so that they can transition into the high school system.

One of the teachers of such a class, Esmin Baker Hutchinson of St John's Primary School in Spanish Town, St Catherine, explained to THE STAR some of what takes place in her classroom on a daily basis.

literacy and numeracy

"In this centre (class) we place emphasis on literacy and numeracy. In order to motivate them we do a lot of creative work, sometimes with the use of discarded materials like bottle stoppers and juice boxes. We also do a lot of phonics and we have talk sessions with them in order to improve language and communication. For mathematics we use practical things like getting them to measure themselves and getting geometrical ideas from physical education exercises," she reported.

She also mentioned that the students were enthusiastic about their learning and that some of the strategies she employed include drawing pictures, formulating sentences and having them read their compositions to the class. Her students, she noted, also displayed a fondness for writing poetry and short stories.

Baker Hutchinson further explained that when she took over the class in September 2011, there were fifteen students. Five of them have since being placed in high schools, including two who are attending St Andrew Technical. One has dropped out of the programme, and she is now left with a total of nine students.

The very enthusiastic educator also informed The Star that a number of tests are conducted in literacy and numeracy, and that reports are sent to the Ministry of Education at the beginning and end of each term. These reports show the progress of the students and whether they have achieved scores of mastery, near mastery or almost mastery.

Baker Hutchinson was educated at Atlantic Union College in the United States of America where she obtained a bachelor's degree in liberal arts, and at the University of the West Indies where she got an education diploma. She worked as a principal at a private institution before taking up her present post.

She spoke about limited resources but added that she was doing her best with what she had. She also mentioned the kind support of the principal and staff, and said that she was a happy person at the institution.

Regarding the future of her students, she had this to say: "I have seen their progress and I know they are going to become worthwhile persons in the society."